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Navajo Council approves $317,891 to also fund elections…

Based on the Navajo Council agenda, the Council is now on Legislation 0010-15: An Action Relating To Budget And Finance, Naa’bik’iyati’ And The Navajo Nation Council; Approving Supplemental Funding From The Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance In The Amount Of $317,891 For The Navajo Nation Election Administration, Business Unit #101021, To Fund The Continuing 2014 Navajo Nation General Election.

MOTION BY DELEGATES LEONARD TSOSIE AND BEN BENNETT TO SUSPEND COUNCIL FLOOR AND ALLOW MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES FOR EACH DELEGATE TO DEBATE.
VOTE IS 9 IN FAVOR, 11 OPPOSED

MOTION BY DELEGATES LEONARD TSOSIE AND NATE BROWN FOR AMENDMENT:
1. ON PAGE 1, LINE 15, STRIKE THE WORD “GENERAL” AND PLURALIZE THE WORD “ELECTION”; 2. ON PAGE 2, LINE 3, INSERT A NEW PARAGRAPH AS FOLLOWS: g. THERE BEING SO MANY NAVAJO VOTERS WHO ARE CLAIMING THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THEIR VOTES AS A RESULT OF NAVAJO SUPREME COURT DECISION AND THE PRESIDENT REQUESTING THAT THE QUESTION OF “FLUENCY OF NAVAJO LANGUAGE” REQUIREMENT BE RESOLVED BY THE NAVAJO PEOPLE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE NAVAJO PEOPLE DECIDE WHETHER TO AMEND 11 N.N.C. SECTION 8, A, 4 AS FOLLOWS: SECIION 8. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE. A. QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT ARE: 4. MUST BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND UNDERSTAND THE NAVAJO AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE; AND THIS ABILITY SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE NAVAJO VOTER WHEN HE/SHE CASTS A BALLOT. 4. ON PAGE 2, LINE 18, INSERT A NEW PARAGRAPH AS FOLLOWS: AFTER THE CERTIFICATION OF THE REFERENDUM VOTE BY NAVAJO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, THE SPEAKER SHALL CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR NAVAJO NATION OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. 5. RENUBMER OR RELETTER SUCCEEDING PARAGRAPHS OR SECTIONS ACCORDINGLY, IF NECESSARY; AND THIS AMENDMENT SHALL SUPERSEDE INCONSISTENT LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN ANY OTHER COMMITTEE AMENDMENT, WHICH SHALL BE CONFORMED TO THE INTENT OR LANGUAGE OF THIS AMEMDMENT.

AFTER MUCH DEBATE, THE COUNCIL VOTES 12 IN FAVOR, 8 IN FAVOR TO OVERRULE SPEAKER’S RULING. AND SO THE COUNCIL RETURNS TO DEBATING THE AMENDMENT FOR A REFERENDUM.

COUNCIL FINALLY VOTING ON AMENDMENT – 12 IN FAVOR, 8 OPPOSED
It is now 4:07 p.m.

COUNCIL VOTES ON LEGISLATION 0010-15. 19 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED

AND SO COUNCIL APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT AND 0010-15 MEANS THAT $317,891 WILL BE USED FOR REFERENDUM FIRST AND THEN THE ELECTIONS…but then again, Navajo Election Office Director Edison Wauneka said that the election office is holding the general election for the presidency between Joe Shirley jr. and Russell Begaye, the land boards and election board on April 21.